Temperatures plunge below -50C in the Yukon, while swaths of US experience springlike weather
Northern Canada has been gripped by an intense and prolonged cold spell, with temperatures hovering between -20C and -40C for weeks. On Tuesday, Braeburn in the Yukon recorded -55.7C, its coldest December temperature since 1975.
Meanwhile, Mayo and Dawson endured 16 consecutive nights below -40C, with Mayo plunging to -50.4C on Monday. Whitehorse also recorded 10 nights when temperatures dropped below -30C.
The deep freeze spread farther south over the festive period. On Christmas Day, overnight temperatures in Edmonton fell below -28C, while Boxing Day was expected to bring lows of at least -20C across many regions, including Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa and Quebec.
The severe cold is forecast to persist into the new year. Officials have warned that the Yukon could face electricity outages in the coming days, as the territory’s power grid comes under strain from record-high energy demand.
